"I had intended myself to have asked for a commission for you when
you were a couple of years older," he said to Hector, "but I was
by no means sure of getting it, for the cardinal is not partial to
the regiment. Turenne, however, stands high in his favour -- in
spite of the fact that his brother, the Duc de Bouillon, has left
Richelieu's party, and is regarded by him as an enemy -- so we may
be sure that your commission will be at once signed. You must sup
with me and the officers of the regiment tonight. There is not one
who will not rejoice that your father's son has met with such good
fortune, for assuredly you could not have entered the army under
better auspices.

"It is just like Turenne to have thus come forward to assist the
son of a brave soldier killed in action. As a rule, I am sorry
to say that the officers of our army concern themselves but little
with the affairs of the soldiers under their command. Of course
in our regiment it is different, as we have many gentlemen of
well known Scottish families serving in the ranks, and most of the
others are our own clansmen, or come from our dales. We all cling
together as countrymen among strangers, though indeed we can hardly
regard them as strangers, seeing that Scotland and France have
ever been allies, and that our Queen Mary was a French princess.
And now that Scotland has given kings to England, and English
troops fought side by side with the French under Henry of Navarre
against the Spaniards and Guises, and, although not in strict
alliance, are alike enemies of the Spaniards, we can scarce feel
ourselves as strangers here. Besides, is not a French princess
wife of King Charles?